


The Glow-Worm Lights of Country Places

by ifwegettherebysunset



Series: Vrains Rarepair Week 2019-20 [4]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS
Genre: Alternate Universe - Regency, Lift Them Pinkies, M/M, Marriage Proposal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-01-02
Packaged: 2021-02-25 04:47:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22090258
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ifwegettherebysunset/pseuds/ifwegettherebysunset
Summary: Day 4: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something BlueFudo Yusei made his fortune quite suddenly, elevating himself in society. Yusaku's prospects, once deemed generous to a man like him, are now far below. An invitation to dinner, therefore, should be unheard of.[A hackershipping Regency AU. Title is from a quote by Mary Ann Evans in her book, Middlemarch]
Relationships: Fudou Yuusei/Fujiki Yuusaku
Series: Vrains Rarepair Week 2019-20 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1586218
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13
Collections: VRAINS Rarepairs 2019!





	The Glow-Worm Lights of Country Places

**Author's Note:**

> I, personally, used to be in a relationship where it was STRONGLY implied that my now-ex would have proposed to me after we graduated high school, so I can't see Yusaku and Yusei marrying in a modern context. In a Regency AU, however, they'd be more than old enough to marry. I know the logic is a bit weird, but hey, Regency's a fun trope.
> 
> I know Middlemarch takes place quite a few years after Pride and Prejudice and all, but that's what I'm currently reading lmao. Plus it's fun to see where manners and lexicon differ when one takes place in the early 1800's and the other is in 1830's.
> 
> FUCK, ANYWAY HERE'S A THING

According to Yusaku's grandmother, marriage was the cure for all ills. Upon being deposited on her doorstep after the death of his parents, therefore, Yusaku was treated to the ever wonderful occupation of listening to Matron Fujiki's reports on suitable spouses who happened to walk past the window.

These speeches were made more tiresome by the fact that nearly every imagined suitor was far above anything the Fujiki household could hope to attain. Their dwelling was hopelessly shabby, the Matron's efforts to dress it up merely making it look like herself: an out of fashion person poorly disguised by a somewhat decent hat. Any money left to Yusaku by his parents, who had both been laborers, could hardly entice any of the gentlemen and gentlewomen strutting about the city.

Yusaku, however, was content not to reel in their like. They were petty peacocks who thrived on the suffering of others, not at all worth his time. His small means were spent on books instead of new clothes, and his grandmother's protests fell on deaf ears.

One day, the Matron was subjecting Yusaku to yet another ramble. She was sitting by the dreaded window, embroidery in her lap, when she gasped to catch Yusaku's reluctant attention.

"Now _there_ is a fine man!" she began as she always did.

"Oh?" Yusaku dutifully muttered.

When she was silent, he looked up from his book. A surprisingly sly smile greeted him.

"A fine man in _your_ regard," she said. As this was a new occurrence, Yusaku's book lowered. "An intellectual with worse means than ours. Not at all what I want for you."

Yusaku was quite interested. He raised himself slightly on the settee to see out the window.

Outside, across the cobbled street, was a man in a coat that had clearly been resewn within an inch of its life. He spoke with another young man who was slightly shorter than he, blue eyes alight with friendliness. He did not, as so many gentlemen did, gesticulate with every word. In fact, he moved very economically, and his focus never wavered.

"Fudo is his name," the Matron said. "A student, until he could no longer support his education. Our good neighbors say it's such a shame, for he has a prodigious mind. Now he keeps the company of thespians and poets." She sighed, smile fading. "But no money, my dear. Not a penny to offer you. This is why we _must_ refine your tastes; otherwise, this will be the only—wher _ever_ are you going?!"

* * *

The house bled wealth in its enormous windows and carved stone. Yusaku loathed it on sight.

The footman at the door gave him a silent dressing-down, clearly about to direct him to the service entrance. Knowing this would happen, Yusaku presented his invitation.

Ornate doors opened for him, letting out music and sweat and far too much perfume.

He found Yusei immediately in the throng, and Yusei found him.

* * *

Yusaku's favorite coat was a hideous bottle green thing his grandmother never touched because she could never find it. Its state appalled her, being in similar fashion to Fudo's, and in her opinion looked entirely too large.

He wore it on his introduction. As he desired an immediate one, he threw out subtlety despite his usual wont and inserted himself into Fudo's conversation.

"Excuse me," he said, "Are you Fudo?"

Fudo blinked. His companion looked surprised. "Yes."

Yusaku put out his hand. "Fujiki Yusaku. I've been told you're an intellect. I've been studying Muto's works, but don't have anyone to discuss them with."

Fudo straightened with interest. They shook hands. "I think he's one of the greatest philosophers of his time. And ours."

"Where did you hear of Fudo?" his companion asked.

"My grandmother," Yusaku replied, "She likes to make everyone's business hers. Even when it shouldn't be."

The companion introduced himself as Crow Hogan. "I was just about to drop Yusei off here at the library."

"Attempting to find the origins of the 'Atem' Muto mentions?" Yusaku asked.

Fudo—Yusei—smiled. "Exactly that."

And Yusaku joined them. Marriage was not in his mind, but his grandmother would have a fit about something else for once, and so he was satisfied.

* * *

Yusaku did not greet him, nor thank him for the invitation. He passed the thinly-veiled scorn at his badly tailored suit, ignored the wine and hors d'oevres. Let them see what Yusei invited into his home.

Conversation rolled off him. The few who tried to probe his purpose here were quickly disgusted.

Good. Yusaku hoped they tormented the esteemed master of the house.

* * *

One month after their meeting, it was practically accepted that Yusaku and Yusei would be married. They spent nearly every day together, and when they did not, they wrote. Their debates were lively despite their quiet manners, ideas flourishing easily between them.

The Matron was beside herself with worry. Emotional happiness was all well and good, but Yusaku was not thinking of financials. On the contrary, however, Yusaku had thought of them extensively, and planned to approach his friend, Kusanagi, for help in searching for a steady occupation. Yusei himself was already involved in odd jobs, Crow living with him for the rent, so surely Yusaku's moving in with them would make for a perfectly suitable living situation. The Matron herself, with having one less mouth to feed, would be left with a fine living from her son-in-law's will.

The only problem in the lovers' minds was actually making a proposal.

Then, two weeks after Yusaku convinced his grandmother, Jack Atlas sent a letter to Yusei.

Atlas was possibly the richest man in the country. It was believed that he had come from ancient stock, though this claim grew on its own in the public mind without any tangible evidence outside of his haughty gait and commanding speech.

In actuality, he spent his boyhood in the same orphanage as Yusei and Crow. He had disappeared to paths unknown one day, upsetting their caretaker Martha severely, and had not contacted his old connections when his name reappeared in headlines.

The letter called Yusei and Crow to his manor.

* * *

It was inevitable that Yusei would accost him, so Yusaku stepped onto a balcony overlooking fine gardens and rehearsed his replies.

The one thing he did not begrudge Yusei was the fame. Atlas had done nothing but help Yusei bring his ideas to publishers and famous figures. If nothing else, Yusei had earned his money.

But he had thought Yusei a better man. That he would, unlike Atlas, remember his friends when he ascended, not two years after. Yusaku didn't want a penny from him, but basic decency was warranted. Yet not a letter was sent, no sign that Yusei thought of him. Until now, with a half-assed invitation to some pompous dinner.

Yusaku breathed through seething anger, clasping his hands behind his back. Once Yusei knew where he stood, he would leave him behind. Burn every scrap of parchment from him, every thought and treatise. He had wasted enough time on Fudo Yusei.

"Yusaku."

Yusaku swallowed fire. "Grandmother couldn't make it."

"Is she alright?"

"Dead since last year. She sent her regards. Never stopped asking for you."

Yusaku felt the blow land without turning to look.

"I didn't—"

"Don't tell me what you did. I know perfectly well. You forgave Atlas because you felt the same as him."

"I—"

"The instant you got what you wanted," Yusaku said, rage beginning to slip into his words, "you disregarded your past. Now you have _prospects_ , Yusei. Congratulations."

"Yusaku."

" _No_. I won't pity you. I've waited two years to do this, and I won't be stopped."

Yusaku finally swung about. Yusei was staring at him desperately in a sapphire blue coat with a becoming silver trim.

Oh, how he hated him.

Yusaku threw a rusted iron ring between them like a gauntlet. "There. Now you may laugh with your new friends."

He strode past.

A hand smacked his chest.

"Listen to me," Yusei demanded.

"Why?" Yusaku snapped.

"Because I didn't want you to die."

"...what the _hell_ —"

Yusei pushed them into the shadows next to the door. "There was a man Jack knew. Goodwin."

Yusaku didn't need to ask who that was. Goodwin was the premier businessman, with a finger in every pulse of life. He had been Jack's only rival in wealth. Had been.

"He published my thesis on Muto's Atem. I tried to get your name next to mine." Yusaku's eyes narrowed. "He refused, so I attempted to pull it. He published without my consent."

"You didn't bring it to light," Yusaku replied.

"He was a powerful man. He knew who you were, where you lived."

Yusaku scoffed, pushing against Yusei's hand in vain. "You can't possibly be saying he threatened _me_?"

"Do you know how long it takes to kill a rich man?"

Yusaku blinked owlishly, stunned to silence.

Yusei met his eyes. "He'd had a plan for Jack. Jack still refuses to tell me what it was, but I have never seen Jack look the way he did when speaking of Goodwin. His letter was a stipend. He brought me and Crow to him in exchange for whatever Goodwin wanted.

"I believed Jack's story. When Goodwin threatened you, Crow believed him."

"So _you_ murdered him?"

"Yes," Yusei replied. His gaze did not stray, reminding Yusaku of a penniless orphan in a threadbare coat. "Jack, Crow and I killed Rex Goodwin. So no, Yusaku, I could not contact you. But I remembered you _every day_."

Yusaku finally broke free, storming forward until Yusei was forced to step back. "I'm supposed to believe you?"

Yusei's jaw clenched. "My word? No. I didn't think so."

He reached into his coat.

Yusaku stared blankly at what he pulled out.

"I love you," Yusei said simply.

Slowly, Yusaku took Goodwin's finger. It had Goodwin's prized ring still on it. A perfect fit. There was no mistaking it.

When he looked up again, Yusei was on his knee.

* * *

Throughout their four month engagement, Yusaku gleaned what he could about Goodwin. Crow and Jack had plenty to say about the dead, but there were many others besides—some from the very district in which Yusaku met Yusei. The picture they painted was more than sufficient to reinforce his decision to marry Yusei.

The act of murder did not cross Yusaku's mind as any way unlawful or unsavory when it was enacted on such a man as Goodwin. His sense of justice scrutinized character with merit instead of character with money. He did not speak of it to the murderers, nor relate the truth of Goodwin's death to any outside of the inner circle. It had happened, and it was good that it had. Yusaku had nothing more to say on the subject.

There was a house in the country Jack insisted on Yusei having that was ill-used, Yusei preferring city life. Yusaku was of the same mind, but they were obligated to spend some time away after marrying, and so they left for it.

It looked like a landscape from paintings Yusaku's grandmother used to covet. As with the manor, he disliked it immensely. Yusei was rather uncomfortable as well. But it was near the sea, and they soon came to a happy resolution of turning the house into a refuge for children. In the interim, they spent most of their time there on the shore, breathing fresh air while dreadfully missing the throng of people and smog.

Yusaku often thought of his grandmother and her window. Whenever he grew bitter about Yusei's leaving her without a word, he would go to his and Yusei's room in the country house, which would soon become a dormitory. In a small space behind the wainscoting, he would uncover a tiny glass box.

After a few minutes of staring at Goodwin's decaying finger, the stench hidden inside its prison, Yusaku would smile and return to his husband.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not entirely happy with this one, but I'm not entirely UNhappy I suppose


End file.
